Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Branding - Their Story Matters

After reading Pure Genius by Don Wettrick and subscribing to the NHS Innovation Class YouTube channel, we were inspired to begin sharing our progress through video updates.  I introduced this part of our projects by asking my students to design a digital or posterboard background to serve as the backdrop of their video updates.  I explained that this background is important as it will serve as a visual representation of their project each time someone views their video.  Each time a student shares a video update, they will do so using the green screen.  We will use the DoInk Green Screen app to place their designs behind them to represent their project.  Below is an example of one of the videos that we created today.  The rest of the product introductions will be uploaded to our YouTube Channel soon.  



As we began designing our backgrounds and discussing what students wanted to share, I realized that each student was creating a brand for their projects. Furthermore, by developing and designing their projects, they are finding ways to share their ideas, passions, and intentions with others.  My students are using their projects to enhance and represent their personal brand.  My elementary students are already developing their personal brand!

We discussed how our Genius Hour projects play a role in our personal brands and give us an opportunity to share our passions with an authentic audience.  The students were very excited to publish their videos on YouTube and begin sharing their journey as they create, design, and carry out their passion projects this semester.  

In an effort to learn more about personal branding, I read 7 Things You Can Do to Create an Awesome Personal Brand on the Forbes website.  I was so surprised to find how closely this article related to Genius Hour, Innovations, and all of the things that we are doing in our classroom right now.  Online presence, personal websites, finding ways to produce value...this is what we do!

After discussing the term branding as a class, we watched the following video about branding and what it means.



After my students left, I began to do even more research on personal branding and found Doing Good Work Matters More than Your Personal Brand by Meghan M. Biro. I love that she explains that your brand is your entire package.  Our students need to know that the whole package is important.  I want my students to do good work that matters.  I want them to be known for being risk-takers and world changers.  I want them to know that they are capable of so much more than getting the answers correct on a worksheet.  “Good work that matters”...this sums up Genius Hour so well.  




I want to encourage my students to tell their story and give them the tools that they need to do so in an effective and appropriate way. In doing so, I hope to help them realize that they are capable of amazing things and their stories do matter.

Want to know more? Check out these resources...
Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level
Doing Good Work Matters More than Your Personal Brand
7 Things You Can Do to Create an Awesome Personal Brand

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